Sunset Dirge
by Empress-Eerian-Sadow
Summary: set six months after sunrise sherbet. yuffie vincent and chaos are living the simple life in midgar, but a mysterious new troupe of enemies are about to ruin everything for thempossibly forever. spoilers abound for Dirge of Cerberus!
1. So Much for Our Happy Endings

_A/N: Okay, so my initial chapters aren't usually this short. Sorry, stuff happens. And the spot where I ended it was a very natural break, since I was shifting POVs._

_Anyway, this story is the bastard child of my own fic Sunset Sherbet (go read it!) and Dirge of Cerberus (go play it! It rocks!) After I finished my play through of the game, I started thinking to myself about the fun things that I could do with the 'new' cannon established in Dirge and my plotbunnies spent three days in round table discussions before I started on this. I know, basically, where its going but the whole is not as completely planned out as Sunrise was._

_I hope you all enjoy it; I'm having a lot of fun writing it._

_Eerian_

_Disclaimer: i own nothing even vaguely FF7 related except my copies of the games. i'm also not out to make a profit from this fic in any way. _

**Chapter 1—So Much for Our Happy Endings**

"Reeve! Hey!" Yuffie beamed as she pulled open the door to reveal her friend. With a grin, she gave him a hug before inviting him inside. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"

"I was just in town on business. But it seemed like a good idea to drop by. I hope you don't mind."

The ninja shook her head. "No, not at all. You wanna stay for dinner? We were grilling with Cloud and Tifa tonight."

Reeve smiled. "That sounds nice, if you're sure its not imposing."

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Please. Do you really think that Tifa would let you leave Midgar without at least having dinner with us all?"

The former Shinra exec chuckled. "No, I suppose not. How have you all been?"

"Oh, you know. Same as ever." She led him into the kitchen and offered him a seat at the island in the center of the room. "You want some tea?"

Reeve nodded as he sat down. "That would be nice."

Yuffie filled a kettle with water and set it on the stove, then sat down next to him. "The guys started on the expansion the day before yesterday. Cid says that if everything goes as planned and nobody slacks off, then it'll be done before I even start showing."

"That's great. But I don't hear any work being done." Reeve glanced in the direction of the bedrooms. "Where is everyone?"

"Cid took Vincent to get supplies, Rude and Reno are out getting stuff for dinner tonight and Chaos is upstairs taking a nap with Anessa. I threatened to kill them all if she missed her nap, so they cleared out." She chuckled, remembering how quickly they had found things that needed to be done. "What about you, Reeve? How are things going with you?"

"Everything is going pretty well. Things in the WRO have finally stabilized enough that I can leave most of it alone for a few days. And most people are actually welcoming our help in rebuilding and power source conversion. Everything is actually going more smoothly than I'd dared to hope."

"Looks like we get our happy endings after all, huh?"

"Oh, I don't know about that. Look what happened with Kadaj and his gang a few months ago."

"You're right." She stood up and began gathering her tea-making supplies. "But everything is so great right now. Its hard to believe that anything's gonna change that."

Outside, a girl screamed. In response, the Galian Beast roared from his spot on the porch and Reeve drew a handgun from his suit coat and stood up.

"Looks like you spoke too soon."

"Looks like." The ninja reached over and turned off the stove.

_For those of you who haven't played DOC yet, the WRO is the World Regenesis Organization. This is a group that Reeve formed to help heal the planet and put people's lives back together after the Jenova War. (The name of the Sephiroth Crisis there is cannon—that's what its called in Dirge). The WRO is a cannon organization, though Reeve hasn't been running it in my fic as long as he has been in the game._


	2. Rude Awakenings

**Chapter 2—Rude Awakening**

Chaos' eyes snapped open when the girl screamed. Anessa started wailing when the Galian Beast roared. He knew without asking that something was wrong.

Cradling the nine-month-old to his chest, he climbed out of bed and moved to the window. Looking out into the street, he saw one of the neighbor children being manhandled by a man in a grey and blue suit that was too severely tailored to be anything but a uniform.

"**Who would dare try kidnapping outside _this_ house?"**

Nessa's cries intensified at the sound of a gunshot, and Chaos turned part of his attention to quieting the baby while he watched events play out on the street.

The man in the uniform flinched back from the shot, but he didn't let go of the girl. A second gunshot rang out and the girl screamed again. Chaos ducked away from the window as he spotted a sniper on the roof of the house across the street.

As he stepped out of view, a bullet shattered the window of his room, and the entire street filled with the sounds of gunfire.

"**Who _are_ these people?"** The demon clutched Vincent's daughter to his chest and sprinted out the bedroom door. His first thought was to protect his stepdaughter; he would worry about Yuffie and their neighbors after the baby was safe.

As he moved down the stairway and into the center of the house, he heard the distinctive report of Death Penalty firing and Yuffie cursing. Chaos' heart lurched at the thought of his mate injuring her unborn child in combat.

He set Anessa in the hall, then quickly dragged her playpen out of her room. With a few comforting words and a kiss to her forehead, he dropped the still screaming baby inside, then ran for the front door.

Yuffie was crouched in the doorway, taking carefully aimed shots at the large group of uniformed men and women who had appeared in the street. Reeve Tuesti stood over her, shooting—a little less precisely—with his handgun. Through the door, he could see the Galian Beast standing over the girl he'd seen earlier, tearing at any of the enemy troops who came too close.

"**What's going on?"** He asked, approaching the door cautiously.

Yuffie squeezed off another shot, eliminating one of the rooftop snipers before replying. "The goons in grey just showed up out of nowhere and started grabbing people out of their houses. Beast went and rescued Kylia, but now they're stuck out there."

"We've called Cloud and the Turks for backup," Reeve added. "But there's no telling when they'll get here."

"**Vincent and Highwind?"**

"Haven't heard," Yuffie said. "We've gotta get Kylia out of the street before she gets hurt."

"**Cover me."** Chaos stepped into the doorway.

"Be careful."

Rather than waste time assuring Yuffie that he would be all right, Chaos simply sprinted out the door toward Galian Beast and Kylia.

Bullets sang through the air as he ran across the relatively short distance. He hissed as on grazed his shoulder, but didn't falter in his run. Moments later, he had reached his target and was scooping the girl up in his arms.

Kylia screamed again when he swept her off the street, but it was more from confusion than real fear—the neighborhood children were quite familiar with the Valentine household, much to the chagrin of some of their parents. She flung her arms around his neck as he ran the rest of the way across the street and into the broken doorway of their neighbor's house. Galian Beast was hot on his heels as more enemy fire whistled through the air and splintered pavement behind them.

Chaos moved into the living room and crouched behind the dubious shelter of a sofa, knowing that the enemy wouldn't be far behind if they wanted this girl badly enough. Really, he would only have a matter of moments to get back outside and clear out the troops.

"I want Mommy," Kylia wailed into his chest, tightening her hold around his neck.

Wishing he could do more to comfort her, he wrapped his arms around the girl and held her close. **"I'm sorry, little one. Your mommy isn't here. I don't know where to find her."**

Chaos winced as Kylia's cries grew louder, almost drowning out the repeated gunshots from outside. **"Shh…Kylia, if you don't quiet down, the men who tried to take you will find you again."**

He knew that the soldiers outside knew exactly where they were hiding, but his words had the desired effect on the child. Kylia stopped wailing almost immediately, though some hitching sobs slipped out. Chaos was glad she was quick witted; he would have had the patience or knowledge to deal with a child who didn't understand what was going on.

"**Now, Kylia, I need for you to be brave and hide here with Galian Beast while I go scare off those soldiers." **The demon gently pulled the girl's arms from around his neck. **"Can you do that for me?"**

Kylia looked at him with watery eyes and a quivering lip, but she nodded.

"**Good girl. Beast will keep you safe while I'm gone. We'll find your mommy after I get back, I promise."**

Kylia nodded again, and Chaos stood back up. He didn't need to tell the Galian Beast to stay with the girl; he was too smart and too protective of the neighborhood children for that.

Carefully, he moved to the doorway, trying to ignore the way his wingtips brushed the furniture in the smaller house and the trickle of blood from his shoulder wound. He surveyed the street, trying to find any additional non-combatants and to determine the location of any additional snipers.

The last thing he needed was to be picked off from behind during a rescue.

"This is not possible," he heard a heavily accented voice say behind him as the Galian Beast started growling.

He caught a glimpse of crimson as he turned to look, then his world exploded in pain.

_A/N: apparently I believed in starting this one off with a bang, much like DOC did in-game. Meh, whatever. Don't worry—it won't be all action sequences. That would be no fun at all. Anyway, this isn't going to come out quickly, but it shouldn't take two years to finish like sunrise did._

_And yes, I think that children would like—and even trust--Chaos because he looks scary but isn't really. And I think that their parents would hate that. The neighborhood has a kind of love/hate relationship with the Valentine household, which will be reflected in later chapters._


	3. Darkness

_okay, so the three chapters of today's posting spree (that'd be 3-5) were supposed to be one long chapter. but they looked like crap together, or so i thought, so i broke them up. apologies for the long wait between chapters._

_read and enjoy! (oh, and reviews are like chocolate cookies!)  
eerian_

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****Chapter 3—Darkness**

"Something's wrong," Yuffie said, lowering Death Penalty slightly and attempting to look into the house where Chaos had retreated.

"What do you mean?" Reeve looked down at her as he reloaded his handgun.

"He should have come back out by now. Something is wrong." The ninja stood up and leaned Death Penalty up against the wall.

Reeve's eyes widened as she pulled out one of her many shuriken. "What are you doing?"

"Cover me, Reeve. I've gotta go help him."

He grabbed her arm in an iron grip as Yuffie attempted to run out the front door. "Absolutely not."

"Let me go, Reeve." Yuffie's voice could have been chipped from ice.

"I will no." Reeve spun her around, forcing her to look at him. "I will not allow you to endanger your child by running out there after someone who can take care of himself."

"He needs help!"

"Not from you!"

Their argument was cut short by the front wall of the house across the street exploding outward in a wave of splinters and darkness. A woman, scantily clad in red armor, flew out of the house in the darkness. She hit the street and rolled to her feet, turning to face the ruined house.

Yuffie gasped as Chaos staggered out of the house through the remaining tendrils of Darkness. His eyes glowed with an abnormal, intense crimson light. His claws had elongated into something that might be more accurately called talons and he had somehow—inexplicably—gained a tail. The demon was still obviously Chaos, but just as obviously not.

"Sweet Holy," Reeve whispered. "What happened in there?"

Yuffie could only stare, open-mouthed, at the demon she and Vincent had come to love. Her shuriken clattered to the porch loudly in the suddenly silent street.


	4. Whispered Panic

**Chapter 4—Whispered Panic**

As he and Cid sped back to Midgar, Vincent thanked the higher powers that had made Cid leave the Sierra home for a tune-up and bring the much faster and more heavily armed Highwind on their trip today.

Their trip to Kalm for supplies should have been simple and routine, but as they had been loading the lumber for the expansion onto the airship, several troop transports had flown overhead, dropping troops in grey and blue uniforms and launching a large-scale assault.

Cid had nearly screamed himself hoarse to get the crew of the Highwind to launch and deflect the helicopter assault while he and Vincent took care of the ground troops. Vincent understood their reluctance and fear—they were just simple airship crewmen, not combat pilots of heroes.

But Cid Highwind wasn't the captain for nothing. He'd gotten the crew into the air and they had taken out the helicopters before too much damage had been done to the city.

They were mopping up the last of the ground troops when Vincent's phone rang.

"Valentine."

"_Vincent," _Tifa's voice was deeply worried. _"You guys need to get back here. Midgar is under attack."_

"As is Kalm. We will be there when we have finished here."

"_Vincent, they're attacking your neighborhood. Yuffie called us for help but we can't get there anytime soon. Rude and Reno are tied up on the other side of town. You guys are pretty much their only hope for back-up."_

"We'll be there as soon as we can." Vincent snapped his phone closed with a barely suppressed surge of panic. "Cid!"

The pilot turned at his shout. "What's up, Vince?"

"Midgar is under attack."

Cid trotted up to him, spear in hand. "What, you don't think the others can handle it?"

The gunslinger turned worried eyes to his friend. "They're at my house. And none of the others can get there."

"Shit!" Cid pulled his own phone out of his pocket. "We'll be out of here as soon as we can grab the ladder."

Vincent nodded as Cid spoke rapidly to his crewmen. A moment later, the Highwind dropped low enough for the two to grab the ladder and climb aboard. They weren't even halfway up before the ship sped off toward Midgar.


	5. Uncontrolled

**Chapter 5--Uncontrolled**

Chaos' world was black pain.

He felt it gnawing him physically and mentally, trapping his consciousness inside its iron bars.

There was something else as well, a kind of call that beckoned him toward some kind of peace—or oblivion. He knew his body had already given in; he could feel himself running on nothing but instinctive reactions.

He was a prisoner in his own body.

Chaos struggled against it all, trying desperately to regain control. He railed in fury, but the darkness refused to release its painful grip.

_**Yuffie, Vincent, I'm sorry…**_

"Chaos!"

He felt his head snap up at Yuffie's call, and he redoubled his efforts to regain control before his instincts got her killed.

"Chaos, get it together!"

**_I'm trying, beloved._** He railed again, feeling himself moving forward, and desperate to keep whatever force was commanding his body from hurting his mate.

* * *

"Chaos!" Yuffie called as the woman in red went down under the demon's claws

He snapped his head up to look at her. Chaos' eyes narrowed and he started advancing on her, killing intent evident in his stance.

Yuffie backed up against Reeve. "Oh, not good." She swallowed heavily, then shouted, "Chaos get it together!"

Something like recognition flickered in the demon's eyes for a moment. Then with a shake of his head and a snarl of rage, he leapt at them. Reeve grabbed her and tried to dive out of the way, but Yuffie knew it wouldn't save them—Chaos was far too fast for that.

A single gunshot rang out as the demon slammed full force into her chest.


	6. Visions of Horror

_just another chapter of dirge that i really don't have much to say about. i'm having trouble getting chapter seven scripted out tho, so it could be a while in coming._**

* * *

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**Chapter 6—Visions of Horror**

Vincent had to bite back a wave of mixed anger and fear as the swept over Midgar. Parts of the rebuilt city were nothing but smoking ruins, while other parts sparked with fighting or fires.

Near his own home, a wave of Darkness rolled out of one of the neighboring houses. It resonated with the Darkness still lurking inside himself and he knew that it was Chaos' limit break. As both of them were reluctant to use it, he hated to think what would have convinced the demon to do so.

_Hold on, loves. I'm coming._

"_Vincent!" _Cid's voice coming through the deck's loudspeaker interrupted the gunslinger's budding train of thought. _"I'm gonna swing low over the house so you can jump off. Then I'm gonna use the ship's guns to run these assholes off."_

"Understood."

"_They're all right, Vince,"_ Cid assured him.

_I hope so._

Vincent moved swiftly to the railing as Cid lowered the ship. True to his word, the pilot hovered over his house and Vincent jumped over the railing with a speed and grace that somehow had not deserted him when the demons were removed from his body.

He often wondered about those lingering abilities, but today he didn't question them; those abilities might mean the difference between life and death for his family.

Cerberus was in his hand with no conscious thought on his part when he landed, his mind a body falling into what Yuffie called "Turk-mode." He scanned the street as the Highwind moved away, looking for Yuffie. When he didn't immediately see her, he turned his gaze toward the house the Darkness had come from.

The demon standing there, over the body of a woman in red, chilled him to the bone.

"Chaos!" He heard Yuffie shout, attracting the demon's attention.

It began approaching their house, where Yuffie must have holed up, killing intent evident in each step.

"Chaos get it together!" She yelled.

The demon launched itself at the porch.

Vincent fired, and prayed that it wasn't really Chaos.

Immediately, he leapt from the roof and to the street, his boots ringing loudly in the suddenly silent air. With barely any thought, he ran to his house.

Reeve was on the porch, pulling the demon off Yuffie. The ninja was alternating between swears that would make Cid blush and whimpers of pain as their friend worked. Quickly, Vincent moved to help—noting that despite the physical differences, the demon looked indisputable like Chaos.

"Vincent!" Reeve exclaimed in a relieved voice.

"What happened?" Vincent asked, trying to stay calm, despite the myriad of emotions coursing through him.

"Do you mean the attack or Chaos?" The other man replied.

"Then that is Chaos?" After an anguished look at the demon, the gunslinger knelt down next to Yuffie, who threw her arms around him with a pained hiss.

"It's him, Vincent," she said in a broken voice. "He went into the house all right, but when he came out…"

Wordlessly, he held Yuffie as she began crying into his chest. Reeve put a hand on Vincent's shoulder consolingly for a moment. Then he moved to examine Chaos.

"He's still alive, Vincent. I have a Phoenix down—"

"No. Its not safe." Vincent shook his head, thinking of Anessa, who was crying inside the house. "We need to put him someplace secure before he wakes up."

The WRO Commissioner nodded. "I'll call my people.


	7. Prisoner

_hmm...almost 1000 words (snicker) this time. not bad for something i was having so much trouble scripting out._

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* * *

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**Chapter 7—Prisoners**

Chaos was not the only prisoner being held in the WRO's mecical wing. The woman in red that he had attacked had survived and was in another holding cell, having been identified by one of Reeve's top assistants as Rosso the Crimson. According to the reports, the woman was a killing machine, created and once controlled by the Shinra Science Department.

Vincent might have felt some sympathy for her, had she not been leading the assault squad that attacked his neighborhood.

He paced across the waiting room, wishing the WRO medical technicians would bring him some news about Chaos. He carried Anessa with him; the baby hadn't let him put her down since he had picked her up at home.

"Do you want me to take her?" Yuffie asked from her chair next to where he was pacing. Her right arm was in a cast; it had been broken when Chaos had hit her. Tears were still coursing down her cheeks, but she was obviously trying to put on a brave face—for his benefit or her own, he didn't know.

"No, Nessa's fine. You shouldn't strain your arm." The ninja's broken arm was the only physical injury she had sustained, but Vincent could tell that the wounds ran much deeper emotionally. He wished that he could lash out at something—or someone—for destroying his family's happiness.

"Mister Valentine?"

He turned at the voice and looked at Reeve's right hand assistant, a one-eyed, one-armed scientist named Shalua Rui. "You have news?"

"The monster—"

"Don't call him that!" Yuffie interrupted sharply, rising from her seat and moving to his side.

"Sorry," the scientist replied. "What else should I call it?"

"_He_ is a demon." The ninja's tone was cold and laced with sorrow. "And his name is Chaos."

"Chaos?!" Shalua perked up perceptibly with interest.

"What news do you have?" Vincent asked, preventing her from asking the questions he could clearly see that she wanted to.

"Well, he's asking to see you," the scientist replied. "But I'm not sure you should take the baby in there."

"If you would like to care for a screaming baby while we see him, I will gladly leave Anessa with you." The gunslinger's tone was mild, but his expression was serious.

"I'll pass, I think. Follow me." Shalua turned and led them into one of the medical labs.

Chaos was strapped to an operating table on his stomach. His arms and legs were secured at angles that would make it difficult to get the leverage needed to break loose. His head, however, was left free, and he was looking at the door when the Valentines came into the room.

A pained expression crossed his face as he caught sight of Yuffie's cast. **"I'm sorry, beloved. I tried to stop."**

She shook her head before crouching down next to him at eye level. "Its just a broken arm. Don't worry about it. What happened out there?"

"**I don't know. I took Kylia into the house, that woman in red came in, and then I completely lost control. Nothing I tried to do made any difference; whatever took over had me completely. What happened to the girl?"**

"She's in intensive care. The doctors aren't sure if she'll make it." Yuffie laid a consoling hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry."

Chaos closed his eyes, feeling more defeated than he had when he'd woken up strapped to the table. **"Has anyone told her family what happened?"**

"Her family is gone," Vincent said, moving up to stand next to his wife. "Along with fifteen other people from our neighborhood. There are seven dead as well. Most of the missing are children."

"**Why children?"** Chaos' throat felt tight; he loved his neighbors' children as if they were his own.

"We don't know. Reeve's people are looking into it." The gunslinger frowned down at his daughter, who was trying to squirm out of his arms. "Anessa, stop."

Anessa pouted up at her father and demanded firmly, "Papa!"

"Not right now, sweetie." Yuffie took the protesting girl out of Vincent's arms carefully. "I'll take her outside so you two can talk."

They watched as Yuffie and Nessa left the room, then Vincent turned back to Chaos.

"You're not telling us something."

Chaos was silent.

Vincent gave him a stern look. "We can't help you if we don't know what's really going on."

The demon's voice was hesitant when he finally replied. **"There's…something…calling to me. It isn't a voice, but it keeps calling to me, trying to get me to stop fighting and just disappear. It almost feels like it wants me to become nothing but a killing machine."**

Vincent, unsure of what to say, began stroking one of Chaos' wings softly. It was an affectionate gesture that comforted them both in times of stress. The demon smiled weakly at him before speaking again.

"**I couldn't do anything, not even when it was Yuffie who was in danger. Whatever it is, my own willpower is nothing compared to it. It terrifies me, Vincent."**

"Do you still hear it?" The gunslinger wanted nothing more than to comfort his lover, but he had to know all the details.

"**I still hear it, but it got quieter, when you and Yuffie came in. Still there, but controllable."**

"You know that Yuffie and I will do everything we can to help you fight this."

"**I know. I need you to promise me something, Vincent."**

Vincent nodded.

"**Promise me that you will do whatever you must to protect our family if I lose control again."**

"Chaos…"

"**Promise me! I will not be responsible for their deaths, or yours."**

Reluctantly, Vincent nodded. "I will do whatever is necessary, if it comes to that. But I swear to you, Chaos, that it will not get that far without a fight."


	8. Questions

_you know, the biggest problem with the editor is that i have to go back in and replace all my chapter breaks. -sigh- such a pain..._**

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**Chapter 8—Questions **

"You said the demon's name is Chaos?" Vincent felt ambushed by Shalua Rui as he came out of Chaos' room.

"Yes." He looked at the scientist, wondering what she was thinking.

"Could I get you and your wife to speak to me in my lab? I have some questions for you."

"After Anessa settles down," Vincent replied, still faintly able to hear his daughter's cries from the room Reeve had given them.

"I'm sure one of our people could—"

"No." The gunslinger's tone brooked no argument. "My family has had a very traumatizing day, and I will not add any more to it."

"All right." Shalua held her good hand in front of her in a gesture of defeat. "I'll be in my lab most of the day. Come by whenever you're ready."

"We will." Vincent turned and walked to their quarters.

Yuffie was holding Anessa far more awkwardly with her one good arm than Vincent did with his own. With a broken smile at his wife's ineptitude, Vincent took the crying baby from her.

"She wants Chaos," Yuffie said, sadly.

"I know." The gunslinger cradled his protesting daughter to his chest. "So do I."

There was a long silence between them before Yuffie asked, "What else did he tell you?"

"He says that something is calling him. Trying to get him to just give up and disappear. He's afraid."

"So am I." She ducked under Vincent's claw and pulled herself close to him, needing her husband's comfort as much as their daughter did. "What happens if this thing wins?"

Vincent swallowed heavily, not wanting to tell her Chaos' demand. He also wasn't willing to set a precedent by lying to her. "He made me promise to stop him if things went that far."

He wasn't surprised when Yuffie's broken sobs joined Anessa's.

* * *

It was late when Vincent finally stopped by Shalua Rui's lab. Despite the hour, he wasn't surprised to see the scientist sitting behind her computer. 

"I was beginning to think that you weren't coming after all, Mister Valentine," she said, not looking up from the screen.

"Sorry." He wasn't really, and his tone showed it.

A moment later, Shalua looked up from her monitor. "Where's your wife?"

"Sleeping."

"I see. Well then, let's get started." She pinned him with a serious gaze. "What is your relationship with Chaos?"

"Mine specifically? Or my family's?" He really didn't see the relevance of the question, but he was willing to follow any lead—no matter how tiny—to save Chaos.

"Both, if you don't mind."

Vincent sighed. It had been hard enough for their friends to understand the relationship between Chaos, himself and Yuffie; he didn't want to explain it to a virtual stranger.

"Yuffie and I are mated to him. Before that, Chaos was genetically bonded to me some twenty seven years ago."

"Twenty seven years…" the scientist's tone was thoughtful. "Were you one of Doctor Crescent's experiments, then?"

"Do you mean Lucrecia Crescent?"

Shalua nodded. "Yes. Doctor Crescent's Chaos project began approximately thirty years ago as part of her doctoral thesis. For the most part, her research was disregarded and the project was never finished."

Vincent closed his eyes against the bit of pain caused by Shalua's casual words. Lucy may have forgiven him for what happened, but he still felt somewhat responsible for what had happened to her. "No. I was never part of Lucrecia's experiments. Chaos and the other demons I hosted were grafted into me by Professor Hojo."

"Other demons?"

"I prefer not to talk about them."

"They could be relevant to the situation at hand."

The gunslinger shook his head. "Not likely. Chaos told me that none of them had known each other before I hosted them."

"But—"

"The only one who might matter is the Galian Beast, who is staying with the girl Kylia in the ICU. I do not wish to speak of the others."

Shalua seemed to be learning very quickly, how far Vincent could be pushed. She changed the subject. "Okay. Tell me everything you know about Chaos."

* * *

Chaos lay facedown on the table wishing he could go to sleep. He was afraid to sleep, though. The call had gotten much louder when Vincent left; if he slept, he would most likely not wake up again. 

With a sigh, he turned his head, trying to ease the soreness in his neck. The demon understood the need for him to be restrained, but he would definitely be requesting more comfortable accommodations tomorrow.

As he felt sleep, and the ever-present calling, pulling at him, he began to wish that Vincent had stayed. Talking would have kept him awake. Despite any efforts he made, his present circumstance would make staying awake impossible without outside stimulation.

It was against his best efforts a few minutes later that his day's exhaustion overwhelmed him and he slipped into slumber.

* * *

"_Chaos…"_

_The demon opened his eyes at the sound of a familiar voice. "Ilrya?"_

_His first wife smiled at him brilliantly, with all the warmth he remembered. "Hello, my love."_

"_How is this possible?" He reached a hand out to her, then realized that he was no longer bound. "Where are we?"_

"_The place in between the Planet and the Lifestream where Cloud sometimes sees Aeris." Ilrya took his outstretched hand gently. "But we don't have much time to talk."_

"_Do you know what's happening to me, beloved?"_

_She nodded. "An imbalance in the Planet. It is causing both your dark self and the final WEAPON to awaken. Their purpose is to destroy the Planet."_

"_What? Why?"_

"_No time, beloved. You must stay close to Vincent. He is the key. You must stay with him!"_

"_I will. But I need to know what's going on." Chaos' grip on her hand tightened with desperation._

_Ilrya shook her head. "There isn't time to explain everything. You'll discover the truth soon enough. I love you. I'll be waiting for you."_

"_Ilrya!" He could feel her hand fading from his own. _

"_I have to go, beloved. And you have to wake up."_

_He looked at his former mate in confusion as she faded away. Her mouth shaped the words "Wake up" but it was Vincent's voice he heard._

The command was repeated. "Chaos! Wake up!"

Chaos opened his eyes to a scene of destruction in the real world.


	9. Theory of Deadmen

_longer than the last one, but easier to write. :-D fortunately i know where everything's going from here._

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**Chapter 9--Theory of Deadmen**

Shalua made a few notes on the clipboard at her side, then looked at Vincent. "Are you sure that's all you know about him? There isn't' much here."

"No," Vincent disagreed. "There simply isn't whatever you were expecting to hear. And I do not see where things such as his favorite food or his decorating tastes might be relevant. Now, tell me what this is all about."

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You've taken a disturbing interest in my mate and I want to know why."

"Your _mate_?" Vincent found himself slightly pleased with Shalua's stunned reaction.

"I believe I mentioned that earlier. Surely you didn't think he lived with us simply because he could find no other accommodations."

The scientist opened and closed her mouth several times before managing to reply. "I guess I missed that part. I never thought your relationship might be that way."

"Now you know. You still have not explained your interest in him."

"You're right. I didn't." She turned to her computer and punched in a command. "This is from Doctor Crescent's project. Look here."

Vincent came around the desk and looked over her shoulder at the text she was indicating on the screen. He scrolled through the data, reading carefully. Then he looked to Shalua.

"Are you saying that Chaos might be the harbinger of the apocalypse?"

Shalua nodded. "Doctor Crescent and the Ancients seemed to think so."

The gunslinger scowled. "I don't see how. He's strong, but this suggests near immortality and a level of powers that I know he doesn't possess."

"You and your wife said it yourselves, Mister Valentine. Chaos wasn't himself during the attack," she said pointedly. "And I'd say his behavior and his own testimony point to a much stronger outside force."

It didn't take much for Vincent to follow Shalua's line of reasoning. "Something like this Omega that's in Lucrecia's report. This think that he's supposed to be the herald for."

"Exactly."

Vincent opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by an inhuman--and familiar--bellow. A moment later, alarm claxons began shrieking.

"What's going on?" Shalua asked, punching frantically at her keyboard.

"Chaos," Vincent replied, sprinting for the door.

He slammed the door open as the first of the human screams sounded, a shriek of pure terror that was cut off abruptly. The gunslinger knew he had only a matter of minutes to stop Chaos.

As he ran by, he wasn't surprised to see the doors to Chaos' holding cell ripped off their hinges. He didn't spare a glance inside, knowing the demon was no longer bound to the operating table. Instead, he followed the faint claw marks on the highly polished floor leading away from the cell.

Between his tracking skills and the amount of noise Chaos' victims were making, it didn't take Vincent long to find the demon. He hadn't gone far--just a few doors down from his own.

Into the ICU.

If Shalua's theory was right, then Chaos was beginning his purge of the living with the weakest and least able to fight back.

Vincent drew Cerberus from its holster and stepped over the twisted remains of the door.

One of the nurses was laying in a bloody heap just inside the door and another was slumped against the far wall, clutching a stomach wound. Chaos stood in the center of the room, staring blankly down at Kylia, who was blissfully unconscious.

Raising his firearm, he asked cautiously, "Chaos?"

The demon didn't respond.

"Chaos, wake up."

The demon twitched and Vincent repeated the command. "Chaos, wake up!"

Chaos' eyes flared brightly red for a moment, then he blinked twice and looked around the room. His gaze settled briefly on each of the nurses, then Kylia, before settling on Vincent.

**"You can put Cerberus away,"** he said. **"Its me, Vincent."**

"What happened, Chaos?" Vincent lowered his firearm, but didn't holster it.

**"I fell asleep. I think it took my body while I was with Ilrya."**

"Ilrya?" Vincent felt briefly like he was talking to Cloud about Aeris.

"Vincent?" Shalua Rui's voice interrupted before the demon could answer. "What's the situation?"

Vincent holstered Cerberus before turning to the scientist and the medical technicians she had brought with her. "The situation is resolved. There are two people in here who require immediate medical attention."

Quickly, the techs stepped into the room, followed the Shalua. As they went to work, she moved over to Kylia's bed to check on the girl's condition.

"Where's your other demon?" she asked, distractedly.

Eyes widening with horror, Vincent realized that he hadn't seen the Galian Beast when he entered the room. Moving quickly around Kylia's bed--the only object in the room to create a blind spot--he looked for the loyal creature.

"Beast?" he asked, scanning the area behind the bed.

He closed his eyes in pain when he saw the gutted purple form laying against the back wall. "Shalua, get me some bandages and a mega-potion!"

He knelt down next to the Beast, who opened his eyes at the sound of Vincent's voice. The creature let out a pain filled whimper that was more of a blood filled gurgle.

Vincent rubbed him gently between the horns. "You did well, Beast. Kylia couldn't have asked for a better guardian."

The Galian Beast sighed and closed his eyes. Vincent didn't miss the moment his ragged breathing stopped. The gunslinger closed his own eyes, allowing himself a moment of grief, before standing up and turning back to Chaos and Shalua.

"Beast is dead."

Chaos gaped for a moment. **"No, Vincent! He couldn't…I didn't…"** The demon closed his eyes and sunk to his knees on the floor in defeat.

Vincent's own grief doubled at Chaos' reaction. Even when his father had died, he hadn't felt such a sense of loss as he did watching the demon fall apart. He laid a hand on Chaos' shoulder, wishing he could do more to comfort his mate.

_But how do you comfort a man who's just killed one of his best friends?_

Shalua looked over at them. "I'm sorry, Mister Valentine." wordlessly, she gave the medical supplies back to the technician she had taken them from.

"Thank you," he said as Chaos collapsed, weeping, into his side.

* * *

_sad, i know. and i'm sure some of you hate me so much right now for killing off the Galian Beast. i didn't plan for that, or expect it; it just happened. and it worked, so i'm leaving it alone._


	10. Seeking Forgiveness

_A/N: Surprisingly, i'm mostly happy with this chapter. it took a lot of work though; it went through three versions before i managed to write one that worked. Tifa was origonally supposed to be in this chapter where Shera Highwind is, but that just din't work AT ALL. but when Shera stepped up to bat instead, i had instant magic--on my end at least. i hope you guys like it too, because the pilot's wife is going to be pretty pivotal in what will happen to Yuffie later in the story._**

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Chapter 10—Seeking Forgiveness**

Somehow, Yuffie and Anessa had managed to sleep through Chaos' most recent attack. Vincent had to smile at them despite his sadness—they always joked that Yuffie would sleep through the next apocalypse and it seemed that their daughter had inherited that trait. Asleep on the bed, they presented a comforting picture of normalcy.

"Vincent?" asked a female voice from the doorway.

The gunslinger turned to look at Shera Highwind. "I didn't know you were here."

"When Cid told me what happened, I thought Yuffie might need some help with the baby." Shera walked inside and stopped next to him. "I thought you would probably be busy trying to figure out what was happening. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. I'm glad you're willing to help. Yuffie will need it."

An uncomfortable silence stretched out between them for several moments, then the pilot's wife blurted out, "I'm sorry for the way I've acted."

"What?" Shera's statement added to Vincent's considerable confusion.

"I never approved of the relationship that you and Yuffie had with Chaos. Or Cid's for that matter. I've been petty towards the three of you about it, even if I never said anything. It was immature and I shouldn't have judged when you were all so happy." Shera looked at her feet. "I'm sorry."

Vincent didn't know what to say. In all the time that he had know Shera—both before and after she had married cid—she had never been anything less than gracious, polite and friendly. It was hard to believe she had done, or thought, anything to slight them.

"I'll go, if you want." She turned to leave.

The gunslinger's had shout out and he grabbed Shera's wrist before she could take more than a single step. The mechanic looked up at him in surprise.

"Shera, never once did I think that you were being petty or immature around us. If you feel like your disapproval led you to actions that require an apology, then I accept it; but you never did anything that I feel needs forgiveness."

Shera's eyes widened in surprise, then she smiled brilliantly. "Thank you, Vincent!"

"Vincent?" Yuffie's voice was groggy as it drifted from the bed.

"Oh!" The pilot's wife clapped one hand over her mouth. "Yuffie, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to wake you!"

"Um…Shera?" The ninja's voice was confused as her sleepy eyes opened to take in the room.

As Shera moved over to the bed to fuss over Yuffie, Vincent relaxed a bit. Knowing his wife wouldn't be alone if anything else went wrong went a long way towards easing his worries about her.

_Unfortunately, it won't save her the pain of the news I have to give her._

When the gunslinger joined the women on the bed, Yuffie's gaze immediately shot towards him. "Something else happened, didn't it?"

Vincent nodded. "Yes."

"What?" The ninja's violet eyes were full of worry.

He swallowed loudly before he managed to reply. "Chaos managed to break free of his containment cell a little while ago. Several people were killed."

Shera's hands flew to her mouth as Yuffie's reached out to grab Vincent's. "Is everyone…Are our friends all right?"

The gunslinger could only shake his head in reply.

"Who?" A world of emotions and concerns were contained in that single question.

"Beast." His voice cracked on the single syllable.

Vincent almost welcomed Yuffie's sobbing collapse into his arms. It gave him the opening he needed to grieve as well.

Shera Highwind watched silently as husband and wife tried to comfort each other.

Chaos knew the visitor to his cell was Yuffie immediately. None of Reeve's people would come near him now, and Vincent's presence quieted the voice raging in his head. He discovered, as she walked in, that her presence did not—and she would be the only other person who would manage to get to his cell unhindered or unescorted.

"**You shouldn't be here, beloved."**

"Vincent told me what happened," she replied, stepping closer to his turned back.

"**Then you really shouldn't be here. It isn't safe for you."**

"I wanted to know how you were doing." The ninja ran hesitant fingers over the shackles binding his arms from wrist to elbow. "I thought you might need someone who cared."

The demon turned sorrowful eyes on his mate. **"I would rather be alone in my grief than risk endangering you or Vincent."**

Yuffie threw her arms round his neck and shoulders, completely disregarding his words or his desires. "I love you. And I don't blame you for what happened to the Galian Beast."

Chaos opened his mouth to protest, but Yuffie laid a finger across it. "Vincent doesn't really want me here either. I can't say." She kissed his cheek and stood up. "Be strong. I'll come back when I can."

He turned towards the door to watch her as she left, surprised at the lightening he felt in his heart. Yuffie had left him with forgiveness he hadn't even known he was looking for.

"**I love you," **he said as she walked out the door.

She turned and smiled at him. "Love you too. See you soon."


	11. Revelation Leading to Hidden Truth

_A/N: i know, its been a while since i managed to update this one. blame chronic writers block and my 100 themes challenge over on DA. one of these two problems has now passed (thanks to my trusty chainsaw of doom!) and so i hope to update on these things much more regularly now. i've also got another chapter of Free as a Bird in the works that should be finished before the begining of May as well as some progress on Taken and Valentine. links to all the other stuff that's been eating up my time will be going up in my profile shortly. evil grin_

_now, ezzie, i demand an update of my light, cousin of death or always smiling._

**

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**Chapter 11—Revelation Leading to Hidden Truth**

"Its been two weeks, Reeve. When you do your techs expect some kind of results?"

Reeve Tuesti turned to regard Vincent Valentine with troubled eyes. "I don't know anymore, Vincent. I honestly thought something would have turned up in our research by now, but not even Shalua is finding anything. And our "guest" from Deepground isn't telling us anything beyond her name and that her compatriots will be here to take this "protomateria" that they're looking for."

The commissioner sighed. "As frustrated as its making me, I can only imagine what its doing to the three of you."

"That little holding cell and all the chains are making us all crazy, Reeve. This whole situation is making us all crazy; I just want to take my family home and get on with our lives."

"I know. I'm sorry."

Shalua Rui looked intently at the data on her computer for the hundredth time, wondering where she was missing the Valentines' crucial piece of information. She wished that Doctor Crescent had finished her thesis and that all of the dead scientist's research was available to her; she was certain that the missing data was there.

For the millionth time, she cursed Shinra, their secrecy and their hidded experiments. If she could just get any additional bits of Doctor Crescent's research—or even Professor Hojo's—then she felt certain that she could find what was needed to save the demon locked up in the basement of GRO headquarters.

_Wait a minute…Professor Hojo's notes! Those might still be in the old mansion that Vincent told me about!_

Quickly, the scientist reached over and keyed her intercom. "Reeve! I think I have an idea!"

Reeve's voice came back across the speaker sounding groggy. _"Shalua? What time is it?"_

"About 0200. But that isn't important. I think I came up with something that will help Vincent and Chaos."

"_I'll wake him and we'll meet you in your lab."_ The commissioner's voice was suddenly very awake.

Shalua waited impatiently, tapping a pen against her keyboard. Ten minutes later, then men stepped into the lab and she jumped up from her chair, filled with the energy of her own revelation.

"I think the answers we need are in Professor Hojo's notes."

Reeve's surprised exclamation of "Hojo!?" was covered by Vincent's "What do you mean?"

The scientist gestured to Vincent. "You said it yourself. They worked together in Nibelheim on the Jenova project. He was the one who put Chaos in your head. There were a slew of rumors that he was working on some secret black book project for Shinra that involved the Tsviets around the same time."

She paced away a few steps, then turned to look back at them. "If the answers aren't in his notes at the old mansion, where else are they going to be?"

Vincent looked thoughtful. Reeve looked back and forth between his friend and his right-hand woman. "Are you suggesting we send in a team to take the notes from Nibelheim?"

"No," Vincent answered for her. "She wants me to go in and get them. I already know where they are."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Leaving Chaos alone here in the building…" Reeve trailed off, unwilling to finish the statement.

"I'll take him with me. Its safer that way."

Shalua and Reeve looked at him with matching expressions of horror. "How can you consider that safer?" she asked quietly.

"We'll take the back way in, through the mountains and the sewers. Traveling that way, its doubtful that we'll meet anything except monsters and perhaps some Deepground troops."

"Vincent, that's awfully dangerous." Reeve's face lost none of its horrified expression.

"Reeve," Vincent placed his good hand on the other man's shoulder. "I know you're worried. But out of everyone who's been around when Chaos goes berserk, I'm the only one he hasn't attacked. And I'm the only one who's been able to calm him down when the attacks come. Its less safe to leave him here with you than it is to take him with me."

The commissioner shook his head. "I see your point, but I still think its a bad idea. Promise me that you'll be careful?"

Vincent gave his friend a small smile, thinking that Yuffie would say the same thing. "As careful as I can be. Can you get me some supplies?"

Reeve nodded. "They'll be ready in the morning."

"Good." With an expression that showed more resolve than he was really feeling, the gunslinger left the lab to tell his family about the decision.


End file.
